Fishing Trawler Captain still detained at Mile 2

By Muhammed Sailu BahEbenezer Noumo Justice, a Ghanaian national who is the captain of afishing trawler, is still reported to be detained at the Mile 2 Prisonfor 11 days now.Mr. Justice was said to be arrested and subsequently detained onThursday, 25 June 2015, at the Mile Two central prison in theoutskirts of the capital, Banjul, according to a source.A colleague of the captain said they have been making efforts to talkwith the authorities concerning his release but that is yetto materialise.The source further told this reporter that since Mr. Justice’s arrestand detention, they have been taking food for him at the Prison on adaily basis.He, however, explained that they are presently in a very difficultsituation due to the fact that they cannot move with the fishingtrawler back to Senegal because it is being held by the Gambian Navy atthe fishing jetty at ‘Wharfi Njago’ in Banjul.Earlier, it was reported that the captain of the trawler is workingfor a Chinese company called Fuyuang Yu 120 which is based inneighbouring Republic of Senegal. The captain’s colleague said theynormally come to Gambian waters for fishing as well as other countriesalong the coast of the countries in the sub region. He also explainedthat the captain, who was lodging in a motel, was invited on Monday,22 June, 2015 by the Marine Commander and that he spent the nightthere. He said on the following day, Tuesday, the captain was taken tothe Police headquarters in Banjul where he was detained untilThursday, 25 June, 2015 before being transferred to Mile 2 prison.Efforts to reach the Police Spokesperson on the phone over the weekendwere unsuccessful.However, when he was contacted earlier, ASP David Kujabi, the PolicePublic Relation Officer, told Foroyaa that he was not aware of thearrest and subsequent detention of the captain of the fishing trawlerat Mile 2. He said the Police do not arrest people and then take themto Mile 2 just like that without going through the court.Foroyaa will continue with efforts to contact him further on this issue.